A Vampire's Knight
by dude932
Summary: Ichigo never gets asked to be dragged into the spiritual or supernatural why should this time be any different? Only this time it's in the jaws of a beast and he's not going down without a fight. How was he to know that there were monsters out there that hid in the shadows and were very much not a myth? No one ever told him, and he'd never asked. Ichigo/Vera slight Ichigo/Mina.


There was no way in hell that this was happening, this was the only thought running through Ichigo Kurosaki's mind as he sprinted down a side street of Karakura town in the dead of night, his heart beating to it's utmost potential his legs spurring on from the adrenaline pumping through his veins. Adrenaline from the fear he was feeling. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so afraid.

In the time that he had been a Soul Reaper he had only felt true fear three times, the first time he faced Captain Kenpachi when he and his friends went to rescue Rukia Kuchiki, the second being haunted by his inner hollow before he finally overcame that fear, the third and final time was when he had faced off against Ulquiorra Cifer atop of the dome of Las Noches. However every time he had come up to something that made him fearful, he always had Zangetsu by his side, always had a way to overcome it, to protect himself from that which he feared.

This he could not overcome, he could not protect himself, not this time. This was not something a mere human with no power's, no spiritual awareness, and nothing but the clothes on his back could overcome. No, all he could do was run and even then it was gaining on him, he could feel it in the back of his neck. Ichigo Kurosaki was completely defenceless as he ran for his life.

An hour ago he had been having fun for the first time since he had lost his powers over a year ago. He had been dragged to Keigo's against his will to play some video games. They had been enjoying themselves too, Keigo having opted to make the night more epic he pulled out all the stops, hired out some brand new games from a local video store, ordered a couple of pizza's, everything a teenage gamer like Keigo could make out of a games night he pulled off.

They had smashed through several of the easier games without fail, taking the games co-op to new levels even breaking some high scores along the way that other players had put up on line. They had been on the last game Keigo had hired out for the evening, ready to take down the final stage before Keigo's sister came home and ruined everything, throwing a fit about how Keigo was this and that. Keigo shrugged it all off easily enough telling Ichigo that she had been moody ever since Ikkaku. So opting to end the entertaining night there Ichigo left and headed home.

However something had caught his attention and he had caught _it's_ attention, something he truly didn't think existed, it never even dawned on him that something like this _could_ exist. Having accepted the Soul Society he hadn't questioned anything else. Didn't have the time and didn't care to ask.

Ichigo had no idea where he was running to, all he knew was that he had to keep running. He couldn't run home, it'd follow him, he couldn't put anyone at risk especially his family. What he did know was that he couldn't keep this pace up, it had already been over an hour. All the sports he had been playing had given him a physical boost but with fear running through him it was putting him on edge, he had already slipped up once, earlier he had tripped over a loose crate, his quick thinking had allowed him to roll and get back to his feet all in one fluid motion, seconds later he had heart a crate smash under the weight of the beast following him. If he had been a split second slower, he would have been in the beasts jaws.

His breathing was heavy and labored, having been weighed down after eating nothing but junk food for the last several hours. He could hear the growls growing louder, the thuds over the alleyway to show that it wasn't just chasing after him on the ground but maneuvering around the upper parts of the buildings, it's larger form not being able to fit through the small gap that Ichigo was running through opting for the larger space above.

Sprinting at full speed Ichigo didn't see the dead end turn coming up and slammed straight into the wall with a thud before moving again down the corner, a howl behind him and a loud crash showed that his pursuer had done the same. Not even stopping to look behind him, he already knew that it was on the move again, the grunts of anger clearly heard above his own thundering footsteps and falling rubble was enough. Narrowing his eyes at the several crates ahead that were blocking the way he increased his running speed once more and placed his hands atop of the crate and leaped over it only for his eyes to widen as ankle was gripped tightly and he was yanked back and skidded across the concrete ground from where he had been thrown.

Frantically Ichigo tried to get up to his feet to get away as fast as he could but now as he laid on the ground, everything seemed to be over. He saw the large figure atop the crate before the face of the beast looked over at him. It's piercing yellow eyes staring down at him with a hunger. Drool and blood coming out of it's large mouth that was filled with rows of teeth, it's breath fowl in the cool air.

Ichigo scurried back against the ground as the beast jumped off the crates growling as it stood on it's muscular hind legs as it stalked towards him, a thick bushy tail swiping out back and forth. It stood over eight feet in all, currently hunched over as it glared at it's prey readying to lunge.

Ichigo half expected to see a hole in the beasts chest revealing that it was a Jollow but there wasn't, this was no spiritual being, it reared back and let out a howl, a howl of a wolf. Ichigo was frozen in place as the werewolf looked at him once more before it lunged, mouth open. Ichigo got up and tried to run but it was futile.

"GAHHH!" Ichigo yelled in pain as the teeth sank into him over his left shoulder, the werewolf's top jaw over his chest the lower jaw sinking into his back. The werewolf shook Ichigo within it's jaws only causing him more pain as blood splattered the ground as Ichigo cried out in pain into the night air. He could see the ferocious yellow eyes mocking him as he looked to the side, the werewolf's eyes level with his own having sunk it's mouth over his shoulder. Ichigo felt the grip of the beast's claws, one on his right shoulder the other sinking it's claws into his leg making him cry out once more.

Ichigo's breaths were labored as he was within the werewolf's clutches but Ichigo was defiant even in the arms of death and swung back with as much force with his right hand and sent it into the muzzle of the beast only making it's jaw tighten over him sinking his teeth in deeper his left arm hanging limply he tried again to smash his right fist into the beasts face but with every swing it only got weaker, he had lost to much blood and he was barely able to stay conscious.

He oddly remembered falling as the pained howls of the beast echoed through the night. When he had hit the ground in a puddle of his own crimson blood that was mixing with a darker thicker type of blood, the werewolf wasn't far behind as it collapsed, it's head smashing into the ground inches from his own face, it's labored breathing raspy before everything stopped. The werewolf no longer drew breath, Ichigo didn't even have the strength to look up to see who it was, all he heard was footsteps as his eyes closed the last thing he saw was the final life signs retreat from the yellow eyes of the werewolf before his own eyes closed.

"The beast's blood will decide for him, if he survives his first transformation we'll send someone for him..." Ichigo heard, before someone reached into his pockets pulling out his wallet.

"Ichigo Kurosaki. He's just a kid. At a time like this, it's too risky to let him run astray... Princess Mina will be needing every able body" Another voice said.

"A risk we'll have to take, get this mongrel out of here and dispose of it properly, it's brought shame to the Earth Clan..." Ichigo cracked his eyes open as his wallet hit the ground, the large form the werewolf being dragged out of his cloudy vision. Then there was nothing but silence for what seemed like hours after the first two had left.

"Ichigo!"

"Tatsuki! Call Orihime!"

"Stay with us Ichigo!"

Everything was a blur, Ichigo hearing parts of conversation's from different people at different intervals of time as his body was moved, he couldn't see anything apart from blurs of people rushing around him. Even then that was only when he had the strength to open his eyes. Ichigo didn't know how long his eyes had been closed for but when he opened them again all he could feel was a burning sensation all throughout his body. It felt like he was in an inferno, his forehead was drenched with sweat along with his entire body.

To his left was Yuzu tightly gripping his hand as she slept beside him. Sitting up Ichigo's head began to spin and his chest ached, the burning sensation only getting worse as his body moved. Pulling his sweat drenched shirt from his chest he glanced down to see that his body had been bandaged. Sliding out of bed he got to his feet only for his head to sway. He had to stabilise himself against the wall as he headed for the door.

Opening the door his eyes envisioned a wolf face snapping at him for an instant and he fell back with a cry of fear awakening Yuzu who shot up out of bed to see Ichigo on the ground, fear evident in his eyes. Running to her older brothers side she helped him up into a sitting position. His body was shaking in her arms, raising her hand to his forehead her eyes widened before struggling to get him to stand.

"Come on Ichigo, you need to lye back down." Yuzu told him getting him to his feet and pulling him over to the bed before tucking him back in with a deep sigh. She had never seen Ichigo like this before, Orihime had done everything she could think of about the large bite mark across his chest. The bite was visibly gone, but pain still wracked his body as if he hadn't been healed at all. Walking out of the room she went down the hall to see Isshin and Karin sitting there with frowns on their faces, seemingly trying to come up with some form of response to Ichigo's state.

"He woke up." Yuzu said bringing both Isshin's and Karin's attention to her. "He's scared Dad."

"AHHHHHH!" Yuzu's head shot around as Isshin rushed past her, that wasn't a cry of fear it was a cry of pain, Karin going along before they heard something smash. Pushing the door open Isshin stared in shock, the hospital bed had been thrown across the room, no matter how strong Ichigo was he wouldn't be able to pull the bed free from it's bolts. Turning to the window it was smashed, glancing around the room he saw the shredded remains of the clothes Ichigo had been in. Yuzu and Karin rushed to the door only for both girls to gasp at the sight of the destroyed clinic room.

"Dad? What's going on?" Karin asked staring wide eyed at her father, hoping he would have some kind of idea."Where's Ichigo?" Walking into the room, Isshin picked up the shredded remains of Ichigo's shirt and held it in his hands before he felt something on the inner side of it, turning it his eyes widened as he saw skin mattered with thick black hair.

"Karin." Isshin said turning to his daughters. "Look after Yuzu." He said before his gigai disappeared into blue spirit particles, Yuzu's eyes widened slightly as her father disappeared right before her eyes, Karin frowning as she saw her dad enter his spirit form. Nodding to Karin he dashed out the window and both girls froze as they heard the animalistic howls of a wolf far off in the distance of Karakura.


End file.
